Crumbling Valpariso
"What a head of disheveled hills, that you never finish combing," wrote the poet Pablo Neruda in his ode to the manic city. Once one of the busiest ports in Latin America, Valpo - as it is warmly known - fell on hard times in the early 20th century. The 1906 earthquake destroyed most of the town, while the 1914 opening of the Panama Canal diverted much of the maritime traffic from its port. Valpo, however, did not drift silently into the sea - artisans of all stripes migrated for its edgy, rough-and-tumble, bohemian atmosphere.
Today, UNESCO has recognized the city's rustic beauty and intellectual charm designating it a world heritage site.